Promising footballer, 16, stabbed to death after ambushed by masked gang as he left party following ‘mass brawl’

Joshua Bwalya 'was a beautiful, loving, happy young man who had everything to live for'

By Aletha Adu

5th August 2017, 12:32 pm

Updated: 6th August 2017, 9:33 am

A GIFTED young footballer was stabbed to death in the street after he was ambushed by a masked gang.

Joshua Bwalya, 16, was leaving a party at a community centre in Barking with his two friends when the gang chased them.

PA:Press Association

Joshua Bwalya was stabbed to death in the street after he left a party at Barking community centre

It is thought Joshua and his friends left the party when a fight broke out as 20 teenagers gatecrashed the event.

But he was stabbed at around 1am. His two friends desperately banged on people's doors to get help.

Passers-by also tried to help save the former Dagenham Park pupil's life, but he was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

The talented teenager, who played for Barking FC, was about to start a business course at college.

His family have described the teen as "beautiful, kind and talented".

Joshua's sister, who asked not to be named, told the Evening Standard her brother was the victim of a "postcode war".

She added: "he was a beautiful boy with his life ahead of him and now our family has been ripped apart.

"You hear about this on the news, but you never know what it is to feel this pain until it happens to you."

BPM Media

Police at the scene where young Joshua was stabbed in Barking

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Holmes, of the Metropolitan Police's homicide and major crime command, said: "Joshua's young life was cut short by a senseless act of violence when he was approaching the prime of his life.

"The attack was not only cowardly, but brutal. I would urge anyone who has information that can help our investigation to come forward and help us to bring Joshua's murderers to justice."

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